Game apparatus



Dec. 16, 1947. 1 w 5-, SHETLER 2,432,824

GAME APPARATUS I Filed AL'Ig. 26, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet l D60. 16, 1947. s sH 2,432,824

GAME APPARATUS Filed Aug. 26, 1945 2 SheetsFSheet.2

Patented Dec. 16, 1947 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GAME APPARATUS Gordon S. Shctler, Skokie, Ill.

Application August 26, 1943, Serial No. 500,042

3 Claims. 1

This invention relates to a game apparatus and its principal object is to provide a game apparatus which is amusing to children as Well as to adults and which requires some degree of skill to play skillfully against an opponent.

Another object is to provide a game apparatus upon which several kinds of games, simulating the games of tossing rings, horse shoes and shuttle board, may be played. Another object is to provide a game apparatus, having a players station at each end of a game board, whereby two or more persons can play against each other with the object of obtaining the highest score.

Another object is to provide a game apparatus in which one or several pins, arranged on the field of the board, may comprise targets upon which the player tries to project rings or horse shoes from the players station.

Another object is to provide targets in the form of geometrical figures simulating shuifle board diagrams upon which discs are projected from a players station.

Another object is to provide a game apparatus constructed of materials that are now available for such purpose.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the course of this specification and with said objects and advantages in view this invention consists in the several novel features hereinafter iully set forth and claimed.

One embodiment of the invention is clearly illustrated in the drawings accompanying this specification, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a game apparatus forming the subject matter of this specification.

F 2 is a pl n of the game apparatus with n end broken away.

Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal section taken on the line 33 of Fig. 2,.

Fig. 4 is a, vertical longitudinal section taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2 but showing the pros jectile guide disposed at a more. acute angle than the one shown in. Fla,

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary planet the projector used for proiecting the projectile.

Fig. 6 is a plan of one of the discs with which one of the games is played.

Fig. v'7 is a plan of one of the rings with which the game is played.

Figii is. a p an or one at the horse shoe and Fig. 9 is a vertical diametrical section taken on the line 9-9 of Fig. '7.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawings, the reference character 10 designates an elongated board, desirably but not necessarily composed of wall board, plywood or the like of suitable dimensions. At one or both ends of the board is an end wall ll fastened to the board in any suitable manner as for instance with nails, screws or the like l2. Adjacent the side edges of the board are side wings it, which extend a short distance along the board from the end walls and are fastened to the board by suitable means such as nails, screws or the like M. The end wall and side wings provide means to arrest the projectiles and prevent them from falling from the board in the event that they are projected too far.

A players station may be located at each end of the board as shown, or at one end only if so desired. At the players station is mounted a guide supporting member l5 which extends transversely of the board from side to side thereof and may be stationarily mounted if desired so as to incline in the direction of the other end of the board. Desirably the guide supporting member is adjustably mounted whereby its angle of inclination may be varied to suit the fancy of the individual players. The adjustable mounting means illustrated comprises hinges l6 screwed or otherwise fastened to the board and to the guide supporting member and legs I! depending from the free edge of the guide supporting member and hinged thereto by hinges l8. If desired sockets l9 may be formed in the upper face of the board to receive the lower extremities of the legs I! whereby to hold them in a rigid position. In playing certain games, for instance, tossing rings and horse shoes, it is desired to set the guide supporting member at more of an angle than when playing the game of shuiiie board. To reduce the angle of the guide supporting member from that shown in Fig. 3 to that shown in Fig. 4, it is only necessary to swing the legs back underneath the guide supp rting member and then lower the same until it rests on the edges of the legs as shown in Fig. 4.

Adjustably mounted on the guide supporting member is a guide 2|, desirably provided with side. rails 22 to provide a troughlike guide. As

shown the guide is swiveled upon the guide supporting member as by a screw or the like 23, which passes through the guide and through the guide supporting member and may have a nut threaded upon its lower end. Obviously the guide may be swung to one side or the other of the longitudinal axis of the board in aiming the guide at a particular target. The guide guides the projectile so as to travel in a straight line along the guide in which direction the guide is pointed.

Positioned above the guide, in close proximity thereto, is a projector 24 here shown in the form of a resilient, fiat arm, desirably composed of a stick of stout wood. The arm 24 is mounted at one of its ends upon the guide supporting member I 5 as by a block 25 whereby the arm is always maintained in its position relative to the guide. The arm 24 may be secured to the block 25 by nails, screws or the like 26 and the block may be secured to the guide supporting member by nail-s, screws or the like 21.

As a preference, the arm 24 tapers slightly from its place of securement to its other end and carries a striking block 28, desirably having a convex striking face 29 which is arranged to strike against the projectile and thereby project it through the guide and out upon the field. The striking block may be secured to the arm 24 by nails, screws and the like 39.

In order to accommodate the game apparatus to the several games above enumerated a number of sockets 3l32 are formed in upper face of and at one end of the board H3, and when the game apparatus is used with players stations at both ends, sockets are provided at each end of the board. Shufile board diagrams 33 are displayed upon the field as shown which may be provided with slight depressions 34 in the conventional figures 33a outlined by the lines of the shufile board diagrams. If desired conventional scoring numerals 3312 may be displayed in said conventional figures. The sockets 3| may be provided in the centers of the depressions 34 and may also be provided outside of the shuille board diagrams so as to provide means for supporting a group of symmetrically disposed pins 35. The sockets 32 above referred to are for the purpose of receiving other pins 36 which are used in playing the game of horse shoes. The pins should have a tight fit in the sockets so that they may be held in upright position therein by merely forcing them into the sockets.

In playing the game of tossing the rings, all of the pins may be used as is indicated at the right hand end of the game apparatus seen in Fig. 1. When playing the game of horse shoes only the pins 36 are required and in playing the game of shuffle board all of the pins are removed from the field.

In playing the game of tossing the rings, one of the rings 31 (see Fig. 7) is placed upon the guide 2| in contact with the striking block 28. The player then aims the guide toward the par ticular pin which he wishes to ring and with his finger presses the free end of the resilient bar back toward the end wall II and allows it'to spring away from his finger, thereby striking the striking block against the ring and causing it to be projected along the guide 2| and toward pins at the other end of the board. It depends upon the skill of the player to determine how much he must fiex the resilient arm in order to project the ring far enough that it will drop upon the selected pin and ring it. After one player has projected a given number of rings, the other player projects an equal number of rings. The one who rings the greatest number of pins wins the game.

In playing the game of shuffle board, the guide supporting member is first lowered into the position seen in Fig. 4 in order that the angle of inclination of the guide may be reduced as much as possible. In playing the game of shuffle board all of the pins are removed and a disc 38 (see Fig. 6) is placed in the guide and projected as above described. Score may be kept as in playing the conventional game of shufile board,

In playing the game of horse shoes, all of the pins, except the ones 36 in the sockets 32, are removed and a horse shoe 39 (see Fig. 8) is placed in the guide and propelled as above described.

' The score may be kept in the same manner as in playing the conventional game of horse shoes.

It is to be understood that any suitable number of the several kinds of projectiles may accompany the device.

Having thus described my invention, it is obvious that various immaterial modifications may be made in the same without departing from the spirit of my invention, and I do not wish to be understoodas limiting myself to the exact form, construction, arrangement and combination of parts herein shown and described, or uses mentioned, but intend in the following claims to point out all of the inventiondisclosed herein.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: r

1. In a game apparatus, the combination of an elongated support, a resilient arm extending transversely of the support and supported at one of its ends upon and adjacent one end of the support, an inclined guide support, a trough-like guide lying upon and swiveled on said guide support, said guide being located and supported below said arm in close proximity thereto and adapted to receive a projectile and guide the initial movement thereof toward a target, and an impact block, carried by said arm on the side thereof adjacent the guide and having a convex projectile striking face aligned with said guide, said resilient arm being arranged to be flexed rearwardly upon its support whereby when released said arm springs back to its normal position, thereby projecting the projectile forward along and from said guide.

2. In a game apparatus, the combination of an elongated support, a resilient arm extending transversely of said support and supported at one of its ends upon and adjacent one end of the support, an inclined guide supported below said arm in close proximity thereto and adapted to receive a projectile and guide the initial mov ment thereof toward a target, a guide support hinged to said first named support, and means to vary the angle of inclination of said guide support and to support the same at two fixed angles of inclination, said resilient arm being arranged to be flexed rearwardly upon its support, whereby when released,'said arm springs back to its normal position, thereby projecting the projectile forward along and fromsaid guide.

3. In a game apparatus,"the combination of an elongated support, a resilient arm extending transversely of the support and supported at one of its ends upon and adjacent one end of the support, a tiltable guide supporting member hingedly mounted on said support and means to support the guide supporting member at a plurality of inclined fixed positions, a trough-like REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

Number 2,007,885

Number UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Spriggs July 9, 1935 Parker May 30, 1941 Thomas Apr. 30, 1907 Shetler Jan. 19, 1937 Coup Aug. 16, 1921 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date France July 8, 1935 

